Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings Player News:
All Positions

Rotowire:Jun 05, 2:12p ET

News: Johansson agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract with Detroit on Friday.

Impact: Selected by the Red Wings with the 60th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Johansson spent the 2019-20 campaign with Swedish club Farjestads BK. The blueliner notched two goals and 11 helpers in 42 appearances. Given his offensive limitations at the highest level, fantasy owners probably don't need to start lining up to get him on their dynasty teams.

Impact: After toiling in the minors for the last three seasons, Saarijarvi will head back to his native Finland. Drafted by the Red Wings in the third round of the 2015 NHL Draft, the 23-year-old hasn't been able to crack an NHL roster thus far. If he puts together a strong 2020-21 campaign overseas, it's possible he'll get another look at making his NHL debut.

News: Larkin put up 19 goals and 53 points in 71 games prior to the league's pause of play in mid-March.

Impact: Despite leading the Wings in points, it's been something of a disappointing season for the fifth-year NHLer. Larkin's well off last year's 32-goal, 73-point pace. Also, his minus-21 rating stands out as a black mark even though it's not actually his worst performance in that regard (minus-28 in 2016-17). It's no secret that Detroit is rebuilding and doesn't have many exciting NHL assets at the moment outside of Larkin, so we expect he'll be just fine in the long run as the team improves. In the meantime, owners can't be blamed for feeling underwhelmed with the 23-year-old's output.

News: Fabbri netted 31 points in 52 games prior to the mid-March pause of play.

Impact: While the offensive pace was the best of his career, Fabbri's minus-29 jumps off the page for all the wrong reasons. The 2014 first-round pick has received a ton of power-play time in his first year in Detroit (2:50 on average) and has turned that opportunity into six goals and three assists with the man advantage. Those in deeper leagues should be able to find a use for a guy that chips in 0.60 points per game but should also be aware of the aforementioned plus/minus issues before trying to make use of the 24-year-old.

News: Abdelkader mustered just three assists in 49 games this season prior to the suspension of play in mid-March.

Impact: The 33-year-old has never been a prolific producer, but he's been a shade of his former self in 2019-20. Abdelkader topped out at 23 goals and 44 points -- both in 2014-15 -- and has always mixed in above-average physicality (207 hits were his most in 2015-16) with serviceable secondary scoring. But with three years remaining on his contract at $4.25 million, four late-season healthy scratches and not a single goal to his name in just 11:32 of average ice time this season, owners across the fantasy spectrum should probably move on from Abdelkader.

Impact: Brattstrom will suit up for Finnish club Kookoo this season after going 33-12-0 with a 2.13 GAA in 45 appearances for Timra IK (SHL) last year. Once his 2020-21 campaign wraps up, the 23-year-old netminder figures to make the jump to North America, where he will almost certainly start out in the minor-league ranks.

Rotowire:Apr 28, 4:32p ET

News: Brome has decided that he will sign with the Red Wings, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.

Impact: Brome compiled an impressive campaign with Orebro HK in Sweden's premier hockey circuit last season, compiling 43 points (17 goals and 26 assists) over 52 games. The details of the forthcoming contract have yet to be disclosed, but the Red Wings appear to be adding some much-needed help up front.

News: Hronek has fashioned nine goals and 22 assists through 65 games in 2019-20.

Impact: Only 19 blueliners across the league have more goals than Hronek, a second-year sensation from the Czech Republic. Selected in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Hronek turns heads with his supreme on-ice awareness and adroit skills on the power play, where he's generated 10 points. Keep him in mind for future fantasy campaigns.

News: Bertuzzi has proven that he deserves a long-term contract extension, according to Ansar Khan of MLive.com.

Impact: We completely agree with this assertion, as Bertuzzi was voted in as a first-time NHL All-Star this season, not to mention him establishing a new career in points with 21 goals and 27 assists through 71 games. Bertuzzi's biggest surge took place on the power play, with the hard-nosed winger accumulating three goals and 11 helpers in that key special teams situation. It'll be interesting to see the monetary value on Bert's next deal; he banked $1.4 million AAV on his first standard contract with the Wings.

News: Mantha acknowledged that missing 28 games this season -- between a knee injury and punctured lung -- has the potential to complicate contract negotiations as he seeks a long-term extension with the Red Wings this summer, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports.

Impact: Mantha had been enjoying a breakout campaign based on his output of 16 goals and 22 assists through 43 games, but he may have to settle for a bridge deal to buy the Wings more time to contemplate his future with the rebuilding franchise. Should GM Steve Yzerman ultimately strike a long-term extension with the burgeoning power forward, it's believed that Mantha could stay in Motown for four or five more years.

News: Cholowski could be included in a trade package this summer if the Red Wings ultimately decide they've lost patience in the defenseman, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports.

Impact: While Cholowski's offensive skills are evident, he's struggled mightily in his own end, posting a cumulative minus-46 rating over the last two seasons. The B.C. native has one year remaining on his entry-level contract before he'll become a restricted free agent. It's rather disconcerting that he hasn't established a full-time role with the league's worst team, but Cholowski is only 22 years old, and his prospect status as Detroit's 20th overall pick from the 2016 draft seemingly remains intact for now.

Rotowire:Mar 25, 10:50a ET

News: Berggren (shoulder) is recovering from shoulder surgery with an expected return in Sweden by the start of next season, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports.

Impact: Understandably, the Red Wings are keeping close tabs on their second-round (33th overall) pick from the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Berggren fashioned two goals and 10 assists over 24 games with Skelleftea AIK of the Swedish Hockey League in 2019-20. He remains an intriguing prospect to monitor, despite how he's planning on staying in Sweden for at least one more year.

News: Filppula has struggled to a minus-42 rating through 70 games with the Red Wings this season.

Impact: Only Andreas Athanasiou, whom the Red Wings traded to the Oilers at the deadline, has a worse rating than Filppula based on his minus-46 mark. However, while it's clear that the second-line center is routinely getting burned in transition, recent performances consisting of three and four blocked shots apiece prove that Filppula is not a total slouch defensively. Offensively, the Finn has six goals and 15 helpers on the year.

News: Howard only has two wins behind a 4.20 GAA and an .882 save percentage in 27 starts this season.

Impact: Detroit's historically poor season is well documented, though few could have predicted the veteran would lose his starting job to journeyman Jonathan Bernier. Howard -- who will turn 36 years old next Thursday -- is cashing out the balance of a one-year, $5.1 million contract with the Wings; he'll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

News: Goloubef has only drawn into two games with the Red Wings since his waiver claim (from the Senators) on Feb. 21.

Impact: An immigration issue caused Goloubef to get a late start with Detroit, but he's been used sparingly anyway. Selected by Columbus in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Goloubef has compiled 25 points (three goals, 22 assists) between four clubs and 160 games played.

Impact: Between getting waived, his subsequent trip to AHL Grand Rapids, and a facial injury that cost him a trip to injured reserve, Ericsson hasn't seen much time at the top level. The Swedish blueliner is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and with the league understandably at a standstill given the current events, it's quite possible Ericsson has already played his last game for Detroit.

News: Gagner will miss Thursday's game versus the Capitals due to an undisclosed injury.

Impact: Gagner is reportedly a little banged up after taking a few hits along the boards and will require at least a night off to rest his issues. He could be a candidate to rejoin the action Saturday in Tampa Bay, but the Wings have little incentive to rush him back considering they are well out of playoff contention.

News: Perlini, who sat out the previous four games as a healthy scratch, logged just 6:51 of ice time in Tuesday's 5-2 loss to the Hurricanes.

Impact: The Red Wings scratched Justin Abdelkader due to an illness, which paved the way for Perlini to rejoin the lineup. Still, he doesn't see nearly enough ice time to warrant a look in fantasy games.

News: Bowey set up his 14th goal of the season Tuesday in a 5-2 loss to the Hurricanes.

Impact: The 24-year-old defenseman is proving that he's more than a flash in the pan. Bowey demonstrated patience and terrific vision on Christofer Ehn's game-tying tally. Now sitting at 17 points through 53 games, Bowey is building his case to earn a raise on the heels of a two-year, $2 million contract originally procured by the Capitals, the team that selected him in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

News: Helm picked up an assist in Tuesday's 5-2 loss to the Hurricanes.

Impact: Detroit is last in the league in scoring by means of averaging only two goals per game, but Helm was able to defy the odds by snapping a 10-game pointless drought thanks to his secondary apple on a Christoffer Ehn tally. After a hot start to the season, Helm has only compiled nine goals and seven helpers through 68 contests.

News: Ehn scored a goal on his only shot of the game in Tuesday's 5-2 loss to Carolina.

Impact: Ehn re-directed a Madison Bowey feed with 4:34 left in the second period to tie the game at 2-2. It was Ehn's first tally since Dec. 10. A role player whose value lies in his penalty-killing abilities, Ehn has just two goals and two assists in 54 games and is minus-22.

News: Bertuzzi scored a goal on four shots and piled up 12 PIM in Tuesday's 5-2 loss to Carolina.

Impact: Bertuzzi deflected an Anthony Mantha point shot for his 21st goal of the season, pulling the Red Wings even at 1-1 in the latter stages of the first period. It was Bertuzzi's third consecutive contest with a goal, right on the heels of a 13-game dry spell, and it gave him a career-high 48 points in 71 games.

News: Bernier allowed five goals on 36 shots Tuesday in a 5-2 loss to Carolina.

Impact: The game turned in a hurry for Bernier and the Red Wings, who were deadlocked at 2-2 through 40 minutes before Carolina erupted for three unanswered goals on special teams. Bernier had posted a pair of one-goal wins over Chicago and Tampa prior to Tuesday's shelling, but difficult road matchups at Washington and Tampa Bay loom later in the week.

News: Nemeth will not be in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Hurricanes due to the birth of his child, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Impact: In his stead, Brendan Perlini will enter the fourth line, and Jonathan Ericsson will enter the lineup on defense. Nemeth's first chance to return to the lineup is in Thursday's game against the Capitals.

News: Bernier will tend the home goal for Tuesday's matchup against the Hurricanes.

Impact: Bernier continues to garner the starting role over Jimmy Howard, as Tuesday will mark his fifth straight start. In his past five appearances, Bernier has been solid, going 2-1-1 along with a 2.62 GAA and .917 save percentage. The 31-year-old should be busy in net, as the Hurricanes sit third in the league in shots per game this campaign (33.2).

News: Abdelkader won't play Tuesday against Carolina due to an illness, Dana Wakiji of the Red Wings' official site reports.

Impact: The Red Wings believe Abdelkader is dealing with a "regular" illness rather than anything serious, but he'll be sidelined for at least one contest. Either way, the veteran winger has only picked up three points in 49 games this campaign, so there's no reason for fantasy owners to track his availability.